Tag: action

As an author I am often asked where my ideas come from for characters and plots which makes me pause and actually think, where have they come from? In response to this feeling, I’m taking a few blogs to discover for myself which bit of this dark mind of mine has produced my main characters.

Mr. Kirkgordon is the one of feuding duo who had their relationship first formed on paper in “Crescendo!”, although a later short origin story, “Footsteps”, takes us back to their first actual meeting under a grave. Agile and a former bodyguard, Kirkgordon can handle himself in trouble and is ideal to look after the volatile eldritch genius that is Mr Austerley.

Kirkgordon comes from that part of us that knows what the right thing to do is, and that we’re going to have to do it despite the hardship that comes from doing it. He cannot walk away, even if the people he’s involved with do the exact opposite to what he would. Having a faith in God, Kirkgordon is not a religious nut but rather is the atypical believer struggling with his faith as well as his behaviour to others he loves and those he loathes.

“Death? That’s it? Indy, everywhere we go there’s a general implication of death. Do you mean death here, in the corridor, or death in a more widespread sense?”

From Ship of Doom by G R Jordan

As a man of faith I wanted to have Kirkgordon put under pressure, both from the outside darkness but also from his own darker sides. He has a wandering eye when it comes to women and when Calandra comes on the scene, they have to fight the immense attraction between each other while working closely together in front of her former lover Austerley.

The archer in Kirkgordon comes from myself and was a lot of fun to write, although I doubt anyone in the real world has handled a bow like him. One of the sides of Kirkgordon brought out to me by a reader was how harsh he is on Austerley. Constantly pilling on the banter and sometime abuse, his understanding of his colleague takes time to grow until there is a mutual respect and distrust in the same measure. Each knows the other frailties and the trouble that comes from them.

“Nailed to your cross then. I hope you believe in redemption and foregiveness too, Havers?”

From Crescendo! by G R Jordan

Ultimately, I think Kirkgordon is ourselves thrown into the mess of situations with all fears, beliefs, pressures and blind corners, knowing that we still have to get it done. He’s not the most powerful, most clever, wisest or even the bravest of the characters but he always gets it done, fighting his conscience all the way. In that I reckon he’s like a lot of people on this earth, albeit his demons tend to jump out of the ground at him.

Check out Kirkgordon’s psychologist’s report here and see what the professionals at SETAA think of him. Or for the books check out my shop and find Kirkgordon for yourself!

Generally the third one is the hardest to do in a sequence. Bowlers taking on the batsmen for that elusive hat-trick realise there are many more 2 wickets in a row hauls than hat-tricks. There are plenty more strikers who score twice in a game than three times. Only in golf is there more three putts than two putts.

However I think my artist Jake (Jake’s website) has managed to pull this one off. He has taken the elements of the previous covers (the shadows of our heroes, the 60s B-movie titles and the centre piece of the main enemy) and changed the colours away from the previous dark tones. Yet there still remain the promise of threat and evil.

The story this time is taking us to an unknown land and central to the story is a large temple that is seen on the cover along with our old friend Dagon. Entitled Dagon’s revenge, I feel I’m not letting any of the story slip away too freely by stating this.

If you haven’t read any of the story so far you can get a starter for free by clicking on either of the books below and joining my newsletter for further updates. You’ll receive an eBook in return and be kept up to date with new books and many offers.

Are you feeling like you are in a manic version of a game show, balancing all the pieces without letting them go crashing to the floor? It’s funny because many of us are facing that in life. My day job of being a Coastguard is at its busy season and I’m finding myself pretty tired when I find time to write. How to relax enough to concentrate on writing a book can be hard sometimes. Similarly, the sort of book we like to read to relax doesn’t always have the most relaxing storyline.

What sort of story relaxes you?

The contrast between how we like life to be and how we want our books to be can be stark. I’m often told my novels kick off at a sprint and pick up the pace after that. Messer’s Austerley and Kirkgordon are constantly on the move, battling unknown entities here and leaping through portals. It is strange how to relax we like to see others involved in physical exertion. Wimb ledon springs to mind, crowds sitting lapping up the sun with their hand-made fans while two gladiators battle it out, sweating profusely.

How to relax with dignity!

Deacon Blue in their song “Dignity” talk about quietly sailing a boat up the west coast of Scotland watching others “doing the rounds.” It’s a strange human quirk that in order to relax we like to know that others are busy. We sure are cruel sometimes. But please relax away and enjoy the horror and mess that my characters’ lives become. I’ll not tell anyone you’re being cruel!

If you haven’t tried an Austerley and Kirkgordon adventure yet then let Footsteps tempt you. Or you can find out more about the series and what’s coming next on my A&K page.

I’d love to know what sort of book you like to read to relax. Why not share your relaxing reads with us in a comment?